Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-04
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
A SHccincs a;atamant 81 gba Reasons
Why Il ghesIG Be ConElnRed In Of
flee TO Preserve the Country
From the Concentration and Arbitrary Ex-
.ercise CT Powsr-Reaervation of tho
Public Lands for Actual Settlers.

Hon. John q. Carlisle in the Forum for Octo-
Der.
In undertaking to state some Of the
reasons why the Democratic party should
be continued in power, it is necessary,
In the first instances to call attention to
the difference OF opinion between the two
existing parties concerning the nature
and extent of the Federal power under
the constitutions because it is manifest
thst theft administration OF public affairs
mustbs greatly influenced by their re-
spsctive views upon this fundamental
Question. This difference of opinion has
existed continuously since the organiza-
ton Of the government, and tas always
constituted, IS 1t still does, the most
clesrlydetined line OF separation between
the political parties in this country. 1t
would have been reasonable to suppose
that after nearly hundred years OF
practical administration CT TIE gov
ernment under the constitution, after
repeated decisions Of the question by
the highest judicial tribunals, and after
the thorough and able discussions that
have taken place ct every stage Of the
controversy, the relations between the
several states and their people and the
government Of the United States would
be well understood, snd their separate
rights and powers fully recognized by sill
parties. Such, however, is not the case.
In theory and practice the Republican
party of to-day is more extravagant in
lis assertion of Whist it calls national
authorityn than its Federslist progenitor
yup q ~ >fsT1f1 q
period between the close Of the war and
the yesr 1875, while it controlled the
legislation IN Congress, it passed a
greater number CT unconstitutional enact
ments than can be found in all the re-
mainder of our legislative history. But
1t was not in Congress alone that this
! dangerous tendency toward
TIE CONCENTRATION AND ARBITRARY Ex-
ERCISE OF POWER
was exhibited. The executive depart
ment, in ell its branches, was equally in
different to the limitations upon it by the
constitution and laws, and the President
was rapidly becoming what Patrick Henry
predicted he would be, "an American
king" So arrogant and intolerant was
this spirit OF encroachment upon the re-
served rights OF the states sndlpeople that
the conservative elements in the country
spontaneously combined to resist it, and
the consequence was that since the 4tt
day OF March, 1875, but one Republican
House Of Representatives has net al
Washington, and in 1876 large ma Ority
Of the popular vote was cast fer the Dem
ocrstic candidates for President and Vice
President. II is, perhaps, not going toe
far TO say that il the Republican party
had not been deprived or power in TIT
popular branch Of the legislative depart.
ment, and if the warning of 1876 had no.
been given by the people, our federatlvt
| system Of government would have beer
by this time substantially CverthTowr
and the right of local self-government
which lies s. the very foundation Of GU
free institutions, would have been con-
fined TO the nsrrowest possible limits.
1t is an updisputable and historical
fact that the constitution of the United
States was adopted and the Union formed
under it by the people of the severs
states, each political community actin:
separately ana independently Of ell other
through its own state organization. l
is equally undeniable that the govern
ment thus created by the people of thu
several states was one of defined AM
limited powers, and that sll powers no
delegated to it nor prohibited by tht
states were in the language Of the con
stitution itself, preserved to the state
respectively or to the people," Thi
brief statement comprehends the whol
Democratic theory of constitutional gov
eminent in this country, and it must b.
evident to every one who seriously re
fleets upon the subject that IL is the onl
theory upon which the orderly and mar
monious exercise of state and Federal au
thority over the same territory and PEG
pie can be permanently maintained. Con
tlicts Of authority necessarily produc
dissension and strife, and it is, therefore
essential to the repose Of tn
country that the division O
power between the state an
Federal governments shall be scrupu
ously observed by the party in control c
the administration. The Importance Q
such policy was never grester or more
apparent than now. After long period
Of uncertainty and unrest the who'll
country has finally adjusted itself TO th
new conditions imposed by the war, ar
all that appears to be needed to insure a
era Of greet industrial snd commeTcis
prosperity is i continued assurance tina
political anti sectional controversies vii
not be permitted TO disturb the pursuit
Of the people. The present Democrat
administration, instesd of depressin
business and srrestipg the development
OF our resources, as WAS predicted, he
inspired g feeling of confidence and Sc
curity that did not exist before for NOR
than quarter of century, and in ever
part OF the Union, but more especially i
the south, capital has been invested
commercial relations have been estab
llshed, and large enterprises have bee
projected upon the faith that no turtle
harsh or extraordinary political measure
woald be adopted or attempted.
Unless all the present indications ST
deceptive, the return of the Republics
party to power would be immediately 70
lowed by the Introduction Of proposition
still further to
EXTEND THE SUPERVISION OF TIE FED
ERAL AUTHORITIES
over the local and domestic affairs of th
II people, and by an unnecessary and hurt
: full reagitation Of race snd sectional que.
tons which have already oeen settle
upon the precise terms dictated by itsel
Having demonstrated its incspacity ,
desi with the subject by attempting tn
political and social reconstruction OF th
southern states UPON the irration.
theory that the people who had bee
slaves ell their lives, and who WEI